Electric call and signal



. a n 1 S T d n ma 1 aw 0 R0 n t 0 Bu 1 E MW 6 o M o W No. 239,207. Patented March 22,1881.

UNITED STATES LE ROY S. WHITE, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC CALL AND SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,207, dated March 22, 1881. Application filed November 17, 1880. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LE RoY S. WHITE, of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Calls and Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric calls or signals which are specially intended for use on telephone-lines for calling any one of a number of instruments without disturbing other instruments on the same line, and in which a ratchet wheel or barrel is advanced by a stepby-step movement produced by the armature of an electro-magnet through which a succession of weak currents are sent. In such instruments a signal-controlling device is employed, consisting of a wheel having in it a notch, or a notch in said barrel, into which passes a dent or tooth upon the armature when the notch is in the right position, and a strong current is passed through the magnet to permit the armature to complete its full movement and close the circuit through a bell-magnet. When the notch in said wheel or barrel is not in position to receive said dent or tooth, it a strong current be sent through the magnet the said dent or tooth will strike upon the periphery of the wheel or barrel and prevent the armature from moving sufficiently far to complete its movement and close the bell-circuit.

The object of my invention is to provide in a very convenient and desirable manner for bringing the ratchet-barrels of all the instruments on a line, one by one, to the startingpoint by a succession of weak currents, and then liberating them simultaneously by a strong current.

To this end my invention consists in the combination, in an electric call-instrument, of a ratchet-barrel adapted to be turned by a stepby-step movement, an electrO-magnet, an armature actuated thereby, and carrying a pawl or pawls for advancing said ratchet-barrel, and a projecting arm of a stop, which, by the turning of said ratchet-barrel by the movement of the armature, is obtruded in the way of the arm carried by the armature, and prevents the movement of the armature by a weak current through the magnet. The said armaturearm is preferably elastic, so as to yield under a strong current, and said stop is preferably arranged on a pivot above said ratchet-barrel, and is obtruded in the way of the armaturearm by an upward movement produced by an inclined projection on the ratchet-barrel acting upon a projection on said stop.

It also consists in the combination, in an electric call-instrument, of a ratchet -barrel adapted to be turned by a step-by-step move ment, and comprising a cylindric portion, in which is a notch, an electro-magnet, an armature actuated thereby, and carrying a pawl or pawls for advancing said ratchet-barrel, and a projecting arm and a tooth or dent adapted to enter said notch, and a stop which, by the turning of said ratchet-barrel, is obtruded in the way of the armature-arm.

It also consists in certain combinations of parts and details of construction to behereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of an instrument embodying my invention with one of the bearin gs of the ratchet-barrel removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken transversely of the ratchet barrel, and illustrating simply the ratchet-barrel, armature and its arm, and the stop for said arm. Fig.3 represents a similar view to Fig. 2 with the parts in another position. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken transversely of the ratchetbarrel, and illustrating only said barrel, the armature with its tooth or dent, and the branch circuit-closin g device. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the ratchet-barrel detached from other parts; and Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of the armature and its appurtenances.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A and B designate two electro-magnets, one of which, A, is employed to actuate an armature, C, whereby the circuit through the magnet B may be closed, as hereinafter more fully described. The magnet B actuates an armature, 1), having an attached hammer, D, for striking a bell, D and sounding a call. Upon the arm'ature C is a contact'point, a, which, when a strong currentis sent through the magnet A and the armature is allowed to complete its full movement, strikes a contact-point, I),

2 nd closes the branch circuit through the bellmagnet 13.

E designates the main. circuit, which passes through the magnet A and F designates the branch or bell circuit, which passes to the contact-point b, and when contact is made between the points a and I) through the two armatures O and D, and to and through the bell-ma gnet B, after which it joins the main circuit.

So far my instrument presents no novel features, and before I commence the description of the way in which the movements of the armature (J are controlled 1 would say that I do not herein claim the ratchet-barrel having a step-by-step movement imparted to it by the armature and a notch with which a dent or tooth in the armature may engage, as such mechanism constitutes the subject-matter of aprevious application of mine for Letters Patent.

The armature G is pivoted at d in the usual way, and may be retracted by any suitabledevice, its weight in this example of my invention furnishing the retractive force.

G designates a ratchet-barrel arranged in suitable bearings at each end, and receiving a step-by-step movementfrom two pawls, c a, carried by the armature C, the pawl c engaging with the top of the barrel and advancing it during the attractive movement of said armature, and the pawl c engaging with the under side of said barrel and advancing it during the retraetive movement of said armature. The pawls each advance the ratchet-barrel one-half a tooth, and they both together act upon the barrel in a manner somewhat similar to the reverse movement of an escapement, preventing the ratchet-barrel from being advanced too far and giving it an exactly uniform and equal movement at each movement of the armature. It will be understood that the advancing of the ratchet-barrel G is performed by a succession of weak impulses or currents. In addition to its ratchet-teeth, the barrel G has a cylindrical portion, or is round and smooth for the greater part of its length, and in said cylindric portion, near the other end of the barrel from that at which are the ratchetteeth,is a notch, f. (Clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.)

The armature G carries a dent or tooth, g, which, when the barrel G is turned sufficiently to bring the notch fopposite it, may enter said notch; and when this is done the armature O can move far enough to make contactbetween the points a and b and close the branch or hell circuit and sound the bell. It will be understood that the full movement of the armature when the dent or tooth g enters the notch f is effected by a strong current, and that if a strong current be sent through the magnet when the notch f is not opposite thesaid dent or tooth g, the latter will simply strike against the cylindric periphery of the barrel G, and the armature be prevented from moving sufficiently to make'contaet of a with b and close the branch or hell circuit. Suppose, for instance, that there are ten stations on a line, and the notches f of the instruments at the several stations are back from acommou starting-point a number of teeth of the ratchetbarrel corresponding to the number of each station. If it is desired to call station No. 2, two weak currents are sent through the line, and then one strong current, which will bring the teeth or dents g of all the instruments tight up to the ratchet-barrel G, but will allow only the dent or tooth of the instrument at No. 2 station to enter the notch and close the branch or hell circuit. If station No. 5 is to be called live weak currents and then a strong current are sent.

In order to operate the instruments successfully, it is necessary that a coinmon'startingpoint should be provided, to which all the ratchet-barrels G may be brought by a suecession of weak currents, more in number than the number of stations, and then simultaneously released and advanced. To eifect this I provide the armature O with a projecting arm, H, having a projection, it, upon it, and 1 arrange in close proximity to the ratchet-barrel G a stop, I, which, in this example of my invention,is pivoted at i and extends transversely across the said ratchet-barrel. This stop is provided with a projection or tooth, j, which, during the greater part of the rotation of the ratchet-barrel, rests upon the smooth cylindric portion thereof, holding the end of the stop in such a position that the projection h on the arm H isfree to playoverit, as shownin Fig. 2. Upon the ratchet-barrel G is an inclined projection, k, which, as the barrel is turned, acts upon the projection or tooth j, and raises the stop 1 into the position shown in Fig 3, with its notched end obtruded in the way of the projection h on the arm H, thus preventing the ratchet-barrel being moved any farther by any number of weak currents. The arm H is, however, preferably elastic or yielding, and if a strong current be sent through the magnet A the armature G will be attracted with sufficient force to overcome the resistance oifercd by the elastic arm H, and will be moved far enough for the pawl c to turn the ratchet-barrel sufficiently to carry the projection 7t past the projection j, which permits the stop I to fall out of the way of the arm H and enable the weak currents to again advance the ratchet-barrel. All that is now necessary to enable any station to be called is to have the notches f in the several ratchet-barrels G- a number of teeth behind the projection 70, corresponding to the number of the station at which said barrel is placed. For instance, at station No. 2

the notch fis three ratchet-teeth behind the projection 7- at station No. 5 the notch f is six teeth behind said projection, and so on for all the stations. The projection of each barrel Gr may be formed in a diiferent position relatively to the notch f, or the projection may be formed upon a sleeve fitting outside said barrel, and the sleeve may then be turned upon the barrel to properly present the said projection.

By my invention I provide for advancing the ratchet-barrel with great regularity, and also provide a convenient means for holding the ratchet-barrels of all the instruments on a line at the starting-point, and then simultaneously releasing them.

If desirable, the arbor of the ratchet-barrel Gr might project through a dial and carry a pointer to indicate the number of stations.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in an electric call-instrument, of a ratchet-barrel adapted to be turned by a step-by-step movement, an electro-magnet, a single armature actuated thereby, and carrying a pawl or pawls for advancing said ratchet-barrel, andaprojecting arm and a stop, which, by the turning of the ratchet-barrel by the movement of the armature, is obtruded in the way of the arm upon said armature, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in an electric call-instrument, of a ratchet-barrel, an electro-magnet, an armature actuated thereby, and carrying a pawl or pawls for advancing said barrel step havin g the projection 70, the electro-magnet A,

armature O, pawls e c, and arm H, and the pivoted stop I, provided with a projection, j, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a ratchet-barrel, G, having a notch,f, and projection it, an electromagnet, A, an armature, O, carrying a pawl or pawls for advancing said barrel, and also carrying an arm, H, and dent or tooth g, and a pivoted stop, I, substantially as specified.

LE ROY S. WHITE.

Witnesses J. 0. WHITE, J NO. T. WILLET'IE. 

